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Family Life: Akhil Sharma

Akhil Sharma was my third Ubud Festival writer (so apparently the festivals work) and he rocked. Family life is a touching immigrant story written with humor and wit. A middle class Indian immigrant family making adjustments in US, runs aground when Birju, their eldest son, sustains brain damage and needs constant care. Written from the POV of the younger son and penned without excessive sentimentality, Family Life is funny and tragic in turns. Two areas where Akhil Sharma does really well: (i) The voice is brilliant. I truly admire authors who can get into the minds of children and (ii) the precision of the language. It is like each word has been chosen with care so that nothing is wasted. On the whole, a very pleasant experience, despite the sudden and unwarranted end.